Why Our Customers Want a Bricks and Mortar Yarn Shop

If you follow Baa Baa Brighouse on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, Pinterest or Linkedin, or you read the local newspapers or keep up to date with crafting magazines, you’ll likely have heard about our Kickstarter project to raise funds to convert the living room of Baa Baa Brighouse HQ into a bricks and mortar yarn shop.

This week, I asked supporters of the plan what it would mean to them to have a bricks and mortar yarn shop in Brighouse and why they had chosen to back the campaign. This is what they had to say:

“I am so excited about this, I love knitting and would be so happy to have a shop nearby – I just can’t choose wool without feeling the texture and Elaine makes colours and patterns that are amazing!” – Yasmin Fay

“Good luck with your campaign! I’ve bought from you online in the past and had wonderful service (and gorgeous yarn and accessories!). I’d love to be able to pop in to a ‘real’ shop when I’m in the area.” – Toni Watts

“Looking forward to having a wool shop round the corner! Good luck with your plans, Elaine!” – Amanda Blackwell

“I would love to do what you are doing but never seem to have time, money or the guts, so by supporting you i get to have the small satisfaction of helping someone else get their dream.” – Deborah Cherry

“I would like a decent LYS – my closest two in Huddersfield have closed down in the last couple of years. I need to check whether a yarn in going to irritate my skin, and you can’t do that online, no matter how hard you try. There is also the draw of quality yarns, not just mega-balls of 100% acrylic, which, whilst it has its uses, isn’t something I enjoy working with. I hope you reach your target.” – Linda Partington

“I backed your Kickstarter campaign for one main reason, which is that the West Yorkshire area doesn’t really have many independent bricks and mortar yarn shops. I live in Hong Kong and visit my family in Yorkshire once or twice a year. I’m always looking for new yarn shops to visit to build my stash, but have often had to rely on the internet or London for this. I found Baa Baa Brighouse online and really liked the yarn. I was gutted when I realised that I couldn’t visit and see the yarn in person.” – Sophie Reeve

We have 22 days left until our Kickstarter ends and have so far raised £2,351 towards our target with 68 backers from all over the world. All of our financial backers can choose from a range of woolly rewards in return for their pledge, starting at as little as £1.

And whilst that’s amazing and we’re truly grateful for all of the generous pledges received, we still have 67% of the way to go until the project is 100% funded.

Kickstarter works on an all or nothing basis – if we don’t hit the target, we don’t receive any of the pledges.

Architect fees, planning, building and remedial work to the front door will cost an estimated £3,000, replacing the internal floor will cost £1,000, electrical work will cost £1,000 and then there will be the cost of replacing the internal door which will connect the shop to our house, complying with fire regulations, signage, decorating, shop fitting and necessary retail sales equipment to pay for with us doing as much of the manual work as we can manage ourselves.

So, if like our other supporters you value a local yarn shop, please support our project and pledge. Thank you!